There are 36 federal states grouped into 6 geo-political zones in contemporary Nigeria.

A different approach will show that there are 5 culturally compatible regions existing within the country which are not restricted to state or zonal borders but are based on ethnicity, religion, level of socio-economic development, etc.

North:
Includes the Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri areas, and is also known as Far North or Arewa.

- Kebbi
- Sokoto
- Zamfara
- Katsina
- Northern Kaduna
- Kano
- Jigawa
- Bauchi
- Gombe
- Yobe
- Borno

Central:
Historically known as the Middle Belt. It is a diverse region of hundreds of small ethnic groups of the old Northern Nigeria region , many of which use the Hausa language as a lingua franca. It has several Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri enclaves.

- Adamawa
- Taraba
- Plateau
- Southern Kaduna
- Nasarawa
- Niger
- Benue
- FCT
- Non-Yoruba Kogi
- Non-Yoruba Kwara

West:
All Yoruba within Nigeria.

- Yoruba Kogi
- Yoruba Kwara
- Oyo
- Oshun
- Ekiti
- Ondo
- Ogun
- Lagos

East:
All Igbo within Nigeria, including related ethnic groups in the Niger Delta area.

- Northern Delta (Anioma)
- Northern Rivers
- Ebonyi
- Enugu
- Anambra
- Imo
- Abia

South:
All smaller groups in the southern part of Nigeria who are neither Yoruba nor Igbo and also excluding those closely related to the Igbo in the Niger Delta area.

- Edo
- Southern Delta
- Bayelsa
- Southern Rivers
- Akwa-Ibom
- Cross River

Gombe don't belong to that group

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